Geniusly Compatible
by Ryals-Shoal
Summary: [Sequel to MORE THAN A GENIUS] Neji and Shikamaru decide to continue what had started on their last mission, but what exactly is one supposed to 'do' on a date with Hyuuga Neji? Shikamaru will have to find out the hard way... [NejiShika, YOAI]
1. Sleepless Nights

"Geniusly Compatible"

**Summery: **The sequel to 'More than a Genius.' Neji and Shikamaru decide to continue what had started on their last mission, but what exactly is one supposed to 'do' on a date with Hyuuga Neji? Shikamaru will have to find out the hard way...

This story is a continuation of 'More than a Genius,' to avoid confusion please read it first! This it is unbeta'd and full of errors, so please forgive the bad grammaticals. ;

**WARNING!** This story is full of yoainess, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Flames will only be pointed and laughed at for my own amusement by me and my buddy _Captain Cutlas_, so don't bother.

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Ch.1 Sleepless Nights

With a startled gasp, Nara Shikamaru shot up awake.

"Dammit, not another one." He ran a shaking hand through his sweat drenched hair as he tried to calm the last wisps of his nightmare from his head. He tried to recall the dream, but he could only remember the terror he felt moments before he snapped awake. Other than the anxiety he felt whenever he dreamed, one other element had been consistent with his nightmares.

'_Neji.'_

The Hyuuga had never left Shikamaru's thoughts since the moment they departed ways three days ago, on the day he was released from the hospital. Neji had walked with Shikamaru back to his apartment, they discussed briefly on the result of their previous mission together. Neji talked briefly on his recovery and showed that the scars he had received had all but faded into thin white marks. Shikamaru would complain on the inevitable scolding that his mother would inflict upon him the moment he stepped one foot inside the Nara household for his post-mission parental meeting. When they had reached the apartment, the two shinobi experienced an awkward pause. Neji then mumbled a "see you around" and made his way towards the direction of the Hyuuga estate.

They had not seen nor spoken to each other since. In the three days that followed, Shikamaru's world had been a flurry of activity. Rather than visiting his old house to receive a scolding, his parents surprised him by knocking on his door later that same day. Shikamaru bore the brunt of his mother's fussing and chiding (which he knew was her own curious way of expressing concern) while his father would just roll his eyes and sigh. After such a close call on losing their only child on a mission, his parents were not about to let him out of their sight anytime soon.

In the end, his parents had insisted on Shikamaru to stay at their house, of which he grudgingly did. Then, after three days of helping his father out on the fields and enduring his persistent mother (thankfully Ino and Chouji had came over to rescue him for a few hours on one evening) he had finally returned to his quiet studio apartment.

Now there was nothing to do to occupy his time but sleep, and that is the one thing Shikamaru could not do at the moment. _'There's no way I can sleep now.' _The Nara sighed and sat up._ "I'll have to walk it off.' _He dug around his dark room until he was able to find his Jounin vest, and headed out the door.

Outside, a half moon glinted dully in the misty autumn night, casting an ominous pallor over the sleeping Konoha village. Shikamaru had little to fear wandering in the dark in the middle of a village full of shinobi, and he allowed his mind to cloud over as he walked somewhat meditative repetition of his meandering feet.

It was instinct before thought made Shikamaru freeze at the unnerving feeling of eyes observing him.

Hyuuga Neji poked his head from above a roof. Shikamaru instantly relaxed. "Hey, Neji."

"Shikamaru." The Hyuuga leapt down from his perch to land soundlessly next to the Nara."Don't you usually sleep at this time of night?"

Shikamaru shrugged, avoiding the Hyuuga's eyes which matched the color of the moon. "I felt like I needed a walk. You?"

"Couldn't sleep." Neji replied.

Again, the awkward pause descended between them. Neji scratched the back of his head as he searched for more words to say. ""You...want to go somewhere?"

"Um...sure." Shikamaru looked away, suddenly a little ashamed that he had made no effort to contact the Hyuuga in the last three days. "What do you have in mind?"

Neji smiled. "How about I buy you a drink?"

The Nara held up his hand apologetically. "Thanks for offering– but I'm not much of a drinker."

The Hyuuga chuckled. "Then I'll buy you some tea. You drink that, do you?"

Shikamaru returned the smile. "That I do."

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The _Cackling Toad_ had all the smells related to any public restaurant open 24 hours to cater to both night owls and shinobi returning from missions. It permeated with the smells of rank smoke and sour alcohol, which induced bitter stomachs to customers unaccustomed to such settings.

The two young men entered the bar with a nod from the bartender, who recognized them as being within legal age. They chose a spot at the far end of the bar, away from the prying ears of the few scattered patrons that occupied the tables and stools. Neji immediately ordered sake for himself, while Shikamaru requested green tea.

"So," Neji took a sip of his warm sake from the ceramic cup. "Been busy?"

Shikamaru groaned. "My parents kidnaped me and I was held hostage in their house for _three_ days! I only just got home tonight."

"Sounds brutal." Neji replied, his voice tinged with amusement.

"Yeah, it was. What did you do?"

"I trained." Neji replied as he refilled his sake cup. "I've been conditioning my body since the day we got back from our mission. My body is almost back to its full capacity."

"Oh." Shikamaru swirled the dregs in his tea. "That's good to hear."

The conversation lapsed into a heavy silence. When Shikamaru could not take it anymore, he sighed and placed down his tea. "Why are we doing this?"

Neji raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"After everything we've been through together, we can barely hold onto a conversation. We're acting like a couple of kids on their first da..." The unspoken word hung in the air. Shikamaru turned to stare at the graffiti carved into the table, which suddenly became very interesting. "Are we on a date?" he mumbled barely above a whisper.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Neji's voice was soft enough to only reach the Nara's ears.

Shikamaru shook his head. "No, its..." his cheeks reddened slightly, and he kept his voice low. "I've never done this sort of thing before. I don't really know what to do."

"Is that so?" Neji propped a hand under his chin, now very interested in what his companion had to say. "You've never been on a date before?"

Shikamaru scowled and hunched over his tea. "Ino asked me out _once_ long ago. I refused, but she dragged me along anyways. It was..." Shikamaru's eye twitched. "Horrible."

Neji's pale eyes widened. "What happened?"

Shikamaru shuddered. "I ditched her sometime during the movie we went to. She was on my ass for weeks until I got it through her head that I wasn't interested in her."

The Hyuuga looked as if he was trying to suppress a smile. "Sounds scary."

"All women are!" Shikamaru took a swig of his tea as if it were hard liquor. "Especially when they hold a grudge!"

Neji stifled a chuckle into his drink. "So you've never been out on an actual date?"

"I suppose not." Shikamaru poured himself more tea. "How about you? Have you been on many dates?"

"I've been on a few," Neji tilted his head as he thought. "Though not with anyone that I really liked."

"Then what are you supposed to do on a date?" Shikamaru leveled his eyes at the Hyuuga. "I won't go to any chick flick movies."

Neji snorted. "Do I look like the type who watches 'chick flicks'?"

"Sorry." Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "So what does one generally 'do' on a date?"

"Hmm." Neji tapped his chin in thought. "Usually dates involve spending time together in order to become familiar with one another. Do you have any suggestions?"

The Nara shrugged. "I dunno, Shogi?"

"What, all day?"

"It's a great game!" Shikamaru scowled as he tried to defend his favorite hobby. "And it's a good way to stretch your mind."

Then something strange happened. A mischievous gleam seeped into Neji's eyes, and slowly, his lips curled into a devious smirk. "There are _other_ ways to stretch, you know."

Shikamaru gulped, suddenly feeling like a mouse about to be pounced by a cat. "Oh, r-really? Like what?" he asked, already knowing the answer. He jumped when he felt his calf being lightly stroked by Neji's foot.

"I think you know what I mean." The Hyuuga's smile exposed his sharp teeth.

They were rudely interrupted by the double doors slamming wide open, and four familiar faces strode noisily into the _Cackling Toad_.

"Ahh, its nice to be in a bar where I can smoke again!" Sarutobi Asuma lighted one of his cancer sticks and sucked on it with relish.

"Uh oh..." Shikamaru's eyes widened with fear at the sound of his former teacher's booming voice.

"Yeah, that last mission was a bitch!" Shiranui Genma walked into the bar, and was followed closely by Hatake Kakashi (who was currently engaged in one of his _Icha Icha_ novels.)

"Smoking is bad for your health Asuma-san, and it diminishes the power of your aura of YOUTH!" Maito Gai made a grand entrance into the bar, posing dramatically with flair.

"Oh gods, please no..." Neji stiffened at the sight of the familiar green spandex glistening in the overhead lights. The two young shinobi sat frozen in their seats, both desperately scanned the bar for any escape routes or hiding spots (of which none were to be found). Neither of them wanted to face a confrontation with their old Genin teachers, of which they had learned in the past only lead to baaaad things happening.

Unfortunately, Neji and Shikamaru were not about to be very lucky...

TBC

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Uh oh...will Neji and Shikamaru be able to survive a terrible teacher onslaught?

Please R/R! I likes them good!


	2. Teacher Trouble

**Summery: **The sequel to 'More than a Genius.' Neji and Shikamaru decide to continue what had started on their last mission, but what exactly is one supposed to 'do' on a date with Hyuuga Neji? Shikamaru will have to find out the hard way...

This story is a continuation of 'More than a Genius,' to avoid confusion please read it first! This it is unbeta'd and full of errors, so please forgive the bad grammaticals. ;

**WARNING!** This story is full of yoainess, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Flames will only be pointed and laughed at for my own amusement by me and my buddy _Captain Cutlas_, so don't bother.

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Ch.2 Teacher Trouble

The four Jounin's spirits were high and their faces flushed after a successful return from an A-Class mission. The Jounin consisted of Hatake Kakashi, Shiranui Genma, and (to both Shikamaru's and Neji's terror) Sarutobi Asuma and Maito Gai.

Too late, their old Genin teachers spotted them before the younger shinobi had a chance to duck behind the bar.

"Shikamaru, my boy!" Asuma strode up to greet the reluctant Nara. "Fancy seeing you here, I thought that you didn't drink!"

"I don't." Shikamaru mumbled and considered trying to hide behind his teacup.

"Hyuuga Neji!" Maito Gai pointed dramatically at his former student, who cringed visibly. "It makes my heart swell with joy to see a dedicated former student of mine is finally taking time off to socialize with his comrades!" The Green Beast beamed with pride. "I remember back when you were a wee one, you were always so uptight and never took time off to enjoy your youth!" Gai's teeth sparkled at the words, blinding Neji.

'_Not again...'_ Neji buried his face into his hands.

Off in the sidelines, Genma and Kakashi observed the two former students embarrassing dilemma with wry amusement. "Should we rescue them?" Genma asked his silent companion.

"Nah," The one eyed Jounin closed his book and smirked. "I'm having too much fun watching them squirm in their seats."

"Same here." Genma returned the grin.

"Hey now, what's this?" Asuma picked up Shikamaru's teacup to inspect its contents. "This is no drink to order in a bar!" he cried, tossing the tea away. "Bartender! Bring us a bottle of house's sake!"

"No, please Asuma!" Shikamaru pleaded. "I don't drink!"

"Nonsense!" Asuma clapped the Nara's back, nearly knocking him off his stool. "This is a call for a celebration! I hear that both you and Neji had returned from a rather tough mission, we should toast to your good fortune for coming back home in one piece!" Gleefully, he poured a sake cup for his former student.

Shikamaru tried to protest once again, though his voice sounded feeble in his ears. "Asuma-san, its not that I don't appreciate the offer–"

"Here, drink up!" Asuma shoved the cup into the Nara's hands. "And I won't take 'no' for an answer." The bearded Jounin raised his sake cup. "Kompai!"

"Kompai." Shikamaru echoed unhappily, and took a gulp of the strong brew.

Meanwhile, Neji was trying to make himself smaller in his seat as Gai's boisterous voice rang loud and clear throughout the bar for everyone to hear. "Do you remember that goat herding mission years ago? The one where that billy goat head butted you into the swamp?"

"Nooo." Neji replied miserably, hoping that Gai would take the hint and shut up.

Maito Gai did no such thing. "Hoho! That was a day to remember! That old billy goat charged straight at your behind as you were adjusting your shoe!" Gai laughed. "It took us hours to pull you out from that muck, and you took that stinky stink all the way with you back to Konoha! Ahh, such wonderful memories that only Youth and an ornery goat can bring us!"

'_Oh gods, please make it stop!'_ Neji smacked his forehead against the table.

Shikamaru nudged the empty sake bottle away. "Please Asuma, I can't (hic) drink anymore!" He hiccuped and felt his cheeks, which were beginning to feel warm.

Asuma chuckled and inspected the empty bottle, he did not appear to have hear his reluctant drinking buddy. "Eh? You drank the whole bottle by yourself?" He cracked open a new bottle and refilled Shikamaru's cup. "You need to learn to pace yourself, my boy!"

"That kid sure has a healthy glow about him." Genma remarked, gesturing to Shikamaru, who was having trouble keeping his balance in his seat.

Kakashi peered closely at the Nara. "Looks more like he's gonna hurl."

As if on cue, Shikamaru shot off his stool and ran for the door. But his coordination was severely impaired due to his alcohol induced state. In his disorientation, he swayed off course and crashed into several chairs and a few patrons before stopping to vomit all over an unoccupied table next to the wall.

"Shit!" Neji leapt off to assist his companion. In no time, the Hyuuga had dragged Shikamaru out the door to finish his unpleasant business outside.

Kakashi lifted his visible eyebrow at the bearded Jounin. "You should've stopped refilling his cup so fast."

"He seemed to be doing so well!" Asuma replied, a bit ashamed. "He could have just said that he didn't want to drink."

A few minutes later, a pale hand opened the door. "I think that Shikamaru has had enough for tonight." Neji's face appeared from behind the door, looking grim. "I'll make sure that he gets home alright" his head bobbed in a curt bow before he shut the door. "So sorry for the trouble."

After a brief pause, Asuma cursed. "Damn, I feel terrible about all this!" he grumbled and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"But who's going to clean this up?" Gai pointed to the nasty mess that covered the table and part of the wall. "It would be unjust to just leave it like this!"

"Yeah," Genma shook his head. "It would be an awful shame..."

"I don't want to touch it." Kakashi declared, then turned to his comrades. "Do any of you?"

The other three Jounin looked away and shuffled their feet uncomfortably. None of them wanted to go home reeking of sake barf

They finally settled on leaving a rather generous tip on a clean spot on the soiled table, along with a "We're very sorry for the mess" hastily scrawled on a napkin with a crayon. The four Jounin guiltily shuffled out the door as quickly as possible. They avoided the dark glares directed at them by the bartender that had witnessed the entire event.

None of the Jounin had any intention of visiting that particular bar anytime soon.

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In a dark alley, Neji was having the same thoughts as he supported Shikamaru from falling over as another bout of nausea wrecked through him. The Nara was persistent on stumbling off course to crash into trash cans and telephone poles. Once, he stepped on an unsuspecting cat that screeched quite loudly into the night. Shikamaru would mumble out his apologies rather loudly, causing Neji to grit his teeth in embarrassment at the ruckus he continued to make. More than once, lights were turned on inside houses and angry cursing were directed to them from open windows.

Finally, they reached Shikamaru's apartment. "Almost there." Neji reassured his companion. "Watch out for the stairs." The Hyuuga had to practically drag Shikamaru up the second story.

Once they had reached the door, Shikamaru had to lean against the wall in order to search for his keys without falling over. The situation ended up with Neji digging into Shikamaru's vest pockets to find the right key.

Inside, the studio apartment contained all the signs of being a well lived in place: a small bookshelf overflowed with reading materials of all type, weapons and cleaning kits covered the single night stand, two piles of clothing laid strewn on the floor (no doubt 'dirty' and 'clean' piles) and one very large and inviting bed dominated the studio space.

Shikamaru stumbled towards the bed and, not bothering to take off his shoes or vest, flung himself on top of it. He groaned and covered his face with his hands. "I feel so crappy" he wearily complained. "Why won't the spinning stop?"

"You're not supposed to drink an entire bottle of sake under five minutes." Neji chuckled.

"Asuma wouldn't stop pouring me more!" Shikamaru rubbed his bleary eyes and blinked up at the Hyuuga who was standing by the door. "Are you leaving?"

"I'm about to." Neji turned and reached for the door. "I'll see you around. Good night, Shikamaru."

"Neji– wait!" Shikamaru sat up, a note of desperation in his voice. "Won't you stay?"

The Hyuuga regarded the Nara with a skeptical eye, Shikamaru sat swaying slightly in his seat, his eyes bright with the influence of alcohol. "Just for a little bit?" he pleaded.

Neji stiffened. "Shika, I don't think that would be appropriate." The Hyuuga's voice was serious. "The alcohol's affecting your judgement, you need to sleep it off."

"But I _can't _sleep!" Shikamaru slouched over. "Ever since I came back from the hospital, I've been afraid to sleep" his lower lip trembled as emotion threatened to overtake him. "The nightmares keep waking me up."

The Hyuuga's brow furrowed in concern. "Nightmares? You mean, like back on the mission?"

Shikamaru nodded, his face downcast with defeat. "I'm still so worried about you, I can't...I–I mean, I'm afraid that I...I..."

Neji smiled in understanding ."You want me to stay for a while, just until you fall asleep?"

Shikamaru nodded and rolled over on the bed to allow his companion room. "Thank you."

Not liking shoes on the bed, Neji first tugged off his and Shikamaru's shoes before he slipped in besides the Nara on the spacious bed. "I see why you spend most of your time sleeping" he joked. "Its very comfortable." Receiving no reply, the Hyuuga craned his neck to see that his companion had turned away on his side, and was snoring softly.

Neji sighed, and tapped one foot on the mattress. It seemed a shame to get up so soon after reassuring Shikamaru that he'd stay for a while. Neji's pale eyes glanced at the alarm clock situated on the windowsill._ 'I'll give it another five minutes.' _Lolled by the softness of the bed and the rhythmic sound of Shikamaru's breathing, Neji's eyes slowly closed and he drifted off to sleep.

TBC

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Man oh man, I grounded this out pretty fast! I gotta say that the whole 'barf on the table, leave a crayon apology on a napkin and a large tip' incident really did happen (but not to me, thankfully!) Unfortunately, a goat really did headbutt my ass into the marsh once, and boy was it stinky! So I made Neji suffer the indignity of being unable to dodge a goat (smirk)

Please R/R!


	3. Morning PickMeUp

"Geniusly Compatible"

**Summery:** The sequel to 'More than a Genius.' Neji and Shikamaru decide to continue what had started on their last mission, but what exactly is one supposed to 'do' on a date with Hyuuga Neji? Shikamaru will have to find out the hard way...

This story is a continuation of 'More than a Genius,' to avoid confusion please read it first! This it is unbeta'd and full of errors, so please forgive the bad grammaticals. ;

**WARNING! **This story is full of yoainess, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Flames will only be pointed and laughed at for my own amusement by me and my buddy _Captain Cutlas_, so don't bother.

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Ch.3 Morning Pick-Me-Up

Neji awoke the next morning feeling very uncomfortable, something heavy was pressing against his chest. He opened his eyes to see an arm strewn around his torso, one that definitely did not belong to him.

The events of the previous night came to the Hyuuga in a flash._'Oh yeah.'_ Neji blinked several times to clear the blurriness from his vision. When he tried to move, the arm tightened around him. _'Is he awake?'_ he turned his head to glance at Shikamaru, and what he saw made him stare.

Sometime during the night, Shikamaru had shifted around and had snagged his arm over the Hyuuga. An uncharacteristically serene expression graced the Nara's sleeping face, making him appear younger somehow. Loose strands of his hair spilled from the tie to frame his cheeks. The grey morning light shone dully on his skin, making him glow in the autumn sunlight. All of Neji's attention was fixed on the Nara's lips, which looked very soft and inviting.

Suddenly, Neji began to feel uncomfortable in another place.

'_Dammit, not now!'_ he thought with alarm. Like all young men his age, Neji was no stranger to morning wood. Hut he would have preferred it to occur within the comfort of his own room rather than in his unsuspecting companion's bed. Neji shifted his weight in an attempt to stifle the nuisance, but in doing so he disturbed his bed mate.

The Nara's mouth parted slightly, a small sigh escaped his lips. Neji trembled as he felt his little problem turn into a 'big' problem.

It was then that Shikamaru's eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he saw was Neji's face in extreme closeup.

"GAH!" The Nara shot back away from Neji, and smacked the back of his head against the wall. "Fucking SHIT!" Shikamaru hissed and clutched his head in pain.

"And a good morning to you too!" Neji greeted calmly, (he swung a leg around to hide his dilemma from view.) "Are you hurt badly?"

"Curse it all Neji! What the hell are you doing in my bed!"

Neji turned to grab his sandals from the floor, it seemed a idea to leave before his 'problem' was noticed by the Nara. "Are you always so vulgar in the mornings? Do you not recall that you invited me?"

"I...oh." Shikamaru's face turned bright red as he recalled the events from the previous night. He buried his face in his hands and groaned miserably. "Did I really say all those things?"

"Yes, you did" Neji smirked as he buckled on a clasp. "Among other things."

"What other things?" Shikamaru demanded over a yawn.

"I'll tell you when I get back." Neji stood up and practically raced for the door. As he reached for the knob, he struggled for an excuse to make his departure seem less suspicious. "I uh, need to take a shower at my place..." he stated with his back turned. "Is an hour alright?"

Shikamaru remained sitting in his bed, thoroughly confused at the odd behavior Neji displayed. "Um...sure, an hour is fine. Are you feeling alright, Neji?"

"Perfectly fine! I'll see you later!" The Hyuuga waved a stiff farewell and ran out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

"Huh...that was weird." Shikamaru mumbled to himself as he struggled out of bed. Sleep had taken the brunt of his intoxication, but traces remained to leave his mind foggy and aching. _'A hot shower would do.'_ He tugged his hairtie free and made his way to the bathroom, shedding his clothes as he did so.

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'_I'm going to take a REALLY cold shower when I get home!'_ Across town, Neji sprinted across rooftops as fast as he could to reach his personal quarters at the Hyuuga Estate. The memory of Shikamaru's lips haunted him with every step he took, increasing his 'problem' with every passing moment. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!" It was still a long journey to his home.

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Nara Shikamaru regarded his reflection in the mirror, he did not particularly like what he saw. "Stupid Asuma" he grumbled and prodded the dark circles under his eyes. "I hate alcohol!" With an exasperated sigh, he turned to step into the running shower that he had been warming up.

The water streamed over his stiff body, doing wonders to ease his aching head. Shikamaru ran his hands through his hair, enjoying the feeling of the warm water comfortably engulf him. As his fingers toyed with the wet strands of his dark hair, he wondered suddenly if Neji's long hair felt as soft as it appeared.

Shikamaru's eyes snapped opened and he shook the thought from his mind. "What am I thinking?" he grumbled and reached for the soap to lather his body. He gnawed the bottom of his lip as thoughts of Neji continued to pester him._'Of course it's soft, he seems really persistent of keeping his hygiene up, the way he ran out.'_

Over the sound of rushing water, Shikamaru heard his phone ringing. After a nasty curse at being forced out of the warm watery haven, he grabbed a towel and dashed for the phone.

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"Yeah?" the voice sounded annoyed.

"Hi, I wanted to tell you that I just received a call from...are you all right?" Neji paused when he heard Shikamaru sputter on the other line.

"I-I'm fine, really!" The Nara's voice sounded a bit strained. "I just didn't expect you to, uh, call so soon. Has it already been an hour?"

"Not quite." Neji sighed. "The Head Office has just assigned me on a mission."

"What? So soon!" Shikamaru cried. "You're supposed to be on rehabilitation leave, can't they find someone else?"

"My specific talents are needed for this particular task." Neji scratched the back of his head. "I'm...being sent to exterminate rats."

There was a long pause on the other line as Shikamaru digested what the Hyuuga had said. "You're what?"

"I'm assigned to kill rats at Takinawa's granary." Neji felt a little embarrassed to admit the ridiculous assignment. "Its only a C-rank mission, and it's in town. The Godaime saw it as a means to rehabilitate my chakra flow."

"You're...killing rats?" Shikamaru echoed in disbelief. "Why?"

"My Byakugan can spot the rodents through the walls. Hyuuga clansmen are sometimes called forth to deal with these matters, though I personally have not been on a rat hunt since I was a child."

"So..." The Nara trailed. "You're going to be busy?"

"I will be, but the rats shouldn't take too long for me to handle." Neji smiled into the phone. "Actually, I was wondering if you would like to join me..."

TBC

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And the rat hunt is on! XD (sorry for the short chappie, this is a setup for what happens next!)

Please R/R!


	4. Rat Attack

"Geniusly Compatible"

**Summery:** The sequel to 'More than a Genius.' Neji and Shikamaru decide to continue what had started on their last mission, but what exactly is one supposed to 'do' on a date with Hyuuga Neji? Shikamaru will have to find out the hard way...

This story is a continuation of 'More than a Genius,' to avoid confusion please read it first! This it is unbeta'd and full of errors, so please forgive the bad grammaticals. ;

**WARNING!** This story is full of yoainess, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Flames will only be pointed and laughed at for my own amusement by me and my buddy Captain Cutlas, so don't bother.

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Ch. 4 Rat Attack

"Why did I listen to that Hyuuga?" Shikamaru complained to the grey sky above. "Come along with me, Neji had said. Enjoy the weather, you can relax outside on the porch, he said.Hmpf, relaxing indeed!"

From inside the storage building, another rat screeched as it imploded under Neji's 'Gentle Fist' technique.

The Nara groaned for the umpteenth time and tried to tune out the horrid sounds. "Why in the nine hells did I ever agree to go?" It was not the first time he had asked himself that question. For the last half hour, Shikamaru had tried to doze off. But with the combination of rodent shrieks and the confounded headache he had awoken with, he had given up all hope for sleep.

"Blast it all to hell" he grumbled and covered his hands over his eyes. _'Sleep sleep sleep!'_ he commanded his sore brain.

Neji popped out from inside the building, a look of strained patience on his face. He strode over to where Shikamaru lay and silently plopped himself next to his companion.

Shikamaru's eyes peeked at the seething Hyuuga from between his fingers. "Rodent problems?"

"I got them all except for _one_." Neji gritted his teeth in frustration. "That damn vermin keeps eluding all my attacks, I can't believe that something so fat can move so fast. That is not a normal rat!"

The Nara shrugged his shoulders. "Its just one rat, it shouldn't hurt your contract."

"Perhaps." Neji leaned back on his elbows and sighed as he changed the subject. "Did you sleep at all?"

"No." Shikamaru closed his fingers over his eyes to hide Neji from view. "With all the noise and my damn headache, I can't even hear myself think!"

Neji blinked. "A headache?" he inquired a little too politely "Is it a hangover?"

"Shut up" Shikamaru snapped and rolled away from the smirking Hyuuga.

Neji was rather amused by the cranky Nara, and poked him in the back with one finger. An idea was forming in the back of his mind. "Oftentimes, headaches are caused by tension in the shoulder muscles."

"So?"

"Other than being expert rat exterminators, Hyuuga clansmen are well renowned for being physical therapists and masooths."

Shikamaru turned to give Neji an incredulous look. "I've heard about some Hyuuga clansmen using their bloodline for medical practice, but for _massage_?"

"I'm not joking" the Hyuuga rolled over to his knees. He made a motion for his companion to sit up. "Here, I'll give you one to prove it."

The Nara rolled his eyes and pulled himself up from his comfortable position. "Fine, but you'd better know what you're doing."

"Trust me." With thighs splayed out, Neji drew the younger man close to himself until his chin was nearly touching the nape of the Nara's neck.

Shikamaru's cheeks reddened at the close contact he was in with Neji _'and in between his legs no less'_ he thought as he was uncomfortably reminded of his earlier experience in the shower, causing his blush to deepen even more. _'It's a good thing that he can't see my face'_ he suppressed a shudder when Neji's strong fingers begin to travel up and down his spine to test for areas of tension.

Neji engaged his Byakugan momentarily to confirm problematic areas, he traced his thumb around Shikamaru's collarbone and gently began to work his fingers into the stiff muscles.

Shikamaru groaned out loud and leaned back into Neji's hands. He could feel his headache melt away at the Hyuuga's touch. Instead, he began to feel lightheaded and increasingly warm with another emotion other than embarrassment.

Neji could feel the Nara's heartbeat quicken under his hands. The Hyuuga had an inkling for what Shikamaru's desire could be. Slowly, he leaned in to breath lightly across the exposed skin on Shikamaru's neck, and was rewarded a delicious shudder. Encouraged by this, Neji lightly pressed his lips against the warm skin.

"N-Neji...!" it came out as a whimper. Shikamaru arched his neck to give the Hyuuga better access. Neji responded to the plea by leaving a trail of kisses before nibbling at a silver hoop earing.

Shikamaru gasped when Neji's hands snaked around his torso to hold the Nara in a tight embrace. Twisting his head around, Shikamaru planted an awkward kiss upon Neji's jaw. The Hyuuga abandoned his assault on the Nara's neck to return the kiss on Shikamaru's lips.

Suddenly, something big and hairy popped up at Shikamaru's feet.

They both froze at the hideous monstrosity that was before them.

"Skreee!" the elusive fat rat arched on its back legs and hissed in a screechy way.

"EEEYAAHH!" both shinobi shrieked in terror, then Shikamaru (with his highly tuned ninja reflexes) aimed a hearty kick at the beach ball of a rat.

**SQUELCH! **The fat rodent sailed high into the air with another high pitched screech until it disappeared into a tiny pinpoint in the horizon.

For several minutes, both Shikamaru and Neji remained where they sat, trying to calm their racing hearts. Neither was about to admit to one another that they had screamed like little girls over one very ugly and overweight rat.

Neji recovered first, he flashed his companion a nervous grin. Thanks for getting that last rat for me."

"Gross!" Shikamaru kicked his sullied shoe from his foot and flung it away with his toe. "I gotta go take a shower right away, I HATE rats!"

"You can't catch a disease from kicking a rat." Neji chuckled and sat up from his kneeling position to dust himself off.

Shikamaru looked up and scowled at the Hyuuga. "But I could get warts, and that's worse!"

Neji continued to laugh and he helped the disgruntled Nara up from the floor. "I need to report the to the head office, now that his mission is finished. You can go home and wash your feet."

Shikamaru stood before Neji, suddenly feeling awkward. "Um, do you want to meet up later?"

"We could do that" Neji smiled. "How about we meet up for dinner?"

"Dinner sounds good." Shikamaru shifted his weight from his shoe-less foot to the other. "Do you have a place in mind?"

"My place." Neji impulsively offered. "I can cook for us."

Shikamaru's cheeks began to go red again. "Y-your place? Is-is that all right?"

"Its my home, I can do whatever I please in my personal quarters." The devious smile that Shikamaru had witnessed at the bar returned to Neji's expression. "Why? Do you have something in mind?"

"I...I..." Shikamaru's blush deepened, he cursed and tried to hide it with a scowl. "Screw you."

"Is that an offer?" Neji smirked and ran a thumb across Shikamaru's startled lips. "I'll see you tonight then." With that, the Hyuuga bolted across the clearing towards the village, leaving a dumbfounded Shikamaru behind to mull over what had just happened.

'_Neji's house!' _he thought in a daze. _'I guess we really are dating.'_

TBC

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No rats were harmed in the making of this fic because I love them little critters good. Please R/R!


	5. Side Dish

"Geniusly Compatible"

**Summery:** The sequel to 'More than a Genius.' Neji and Shikamaru decide to continue what had started on their last mission, but what exactly is one supposed to 'do' on a date with Hyuuga Neji? Shikamaru will have to find out the hard way...

This story is a continuation of 'More than a Genius,' to avoid confusion please read it first! This it is unbeta'd and full of errors, so please forgive the bad grammaticals.

**WARNING!** This story is full of yoainess, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Flames will only be pointed and laughed at for my own amusement by me and my buddy Captain Cutlas, so don't bother.

* * *

Ch.5 Side Dish 

Fifteen minutes after leaving the Takinawa granary found Nara Shikamaru desperately rifling through his small refrigerator. _'I have to bring something!' _Shikamaru dug deeper into his icebox, tossing aside sticky condiment jars and half empty juice bottles along the way.

'_It's the Hyuuga Estate for the First's sake! I can't just arrive to a meal empty handed!'_ he made a sound of disgust when his searching revealed a moldy peach. After tossing the offending fruit into the rubbish bin, Shikamaru fell backwards onto his rump and sighed with exasperation. "Nothing. Curse it all!"

He scratched the back of his head and brain stormed for an alternative solution. "I used the last of my paycheck for rent, so buying something fancy is out." Shikamaru glanced up to the telephone and suppressed a shudder.

'_There's no way around it.' _His lips formed into a tight grimace as he reached for the phone to dial his mother.

* * *

His mother had said one hour. _One _hour. She was late. 

Shikamaru was already dressed and ready, and had been impatiently waiting for the last fifteen minutes for his mother to arrive. No doubt she was stopped by Mrs. Whatshername with the latest and greatest of juicy neighborhood gossip, of which Mrs. Nara had quite an appetite for.

Shikamaru glanced up to the small mirror on the wall to check his appearance for the umpteenth time. He had decided to wear his best clothing tonight, which consisted of a black button-down shirt with the Nara clan's insignia printed on the back, light blue pants with a kunai pouch strapped to his right thigh, and new black sandals. His fishnet arm sleeves peeked out from where he had rolled up the sleeves of the black shirt, which were a little long for him. His more formal clothing had become moth eaten and musty with neglect, and Shikamaru had no illusions of trying to shop for new clothes so late in the afternoon. He sincerely hoped that he looked presentable enough for the Hyuuga estate. Or for Neji, at least.

One of Shikamaru's sandaled foot tapped the floor with agitation. Where was his mother? The fifteen minutes was quickly turning into twenty...

Then he heard it: the unmistakable sound of his mother's footsteps echoing down the apartment deck. Shikamaru leapt from his bed and opened the door in time to stand face-to-face with his mother's scrutinizing glare.

"Is that all that you have to wear?" his mother Shikato scowled (as usual, greeting her son with a complaint). "I'll have to take you shopping for proper clothes sometime. I doubt that members of the Hyuuga clan dress so causually."

"It's all right mom, really..." Shikamaru remained in the doorway, blocking his mother from entering the apartment and further delaying him. "I'm a bit short on time."

"Of course you are." Shikato's expression softened considerably. "Oh! The meat took much longer to cook than I had thought. And of course Mrs. Kuroyama stopped me on the way over. You would never guess that she-"

"The house gift, Mom."

Shikato rolled her eyes and sighed. "Very well. Here." She handed Shikamaru a small box wrapped up in a large cloth napkin patterned with the Nara clan's mark. "It's fresh from the grill, so be mindful that you do not burn your mouth" she cautioned.

"What is it?" Shikamaru shook the package thoughtfully. "Is it katsudon?"

"Venison Tataki." Shikato spoke of her dish with pride. Deer meat from the Nara farm was considered a special delicacy among Konoha's upper class. And Shikamaru's mother was especially proud of her tataki recipe. "One of the older stags had a bad fall in the ditch and your father had to put it down, the poor thing. Fortunately, it's meat isn't as stringy as I thought it might to be."

"Which buck was it?" Shikamaru had opened the cloth bag and peeked inside the container.

"The one with a white patch under it's chin...um, what did we call it?"

"Hana-chan?" Shikamaru squeaked, nearly dropping the package. A mortified expression took over his normally placid features. "Hana died?"

Shikato noticed her son's distress and patted him reassuringly on the cheek. "Yes. Remember that he was a _very _old deer, love. You were just a toddler when he was born, he lived much longer than any old buck should. It was bound to have happened one of these days." Realizing that Shikamaru's expression was not improving, Shikato gave her son a playful poke in the shoulder. "Honestly! Naming a stag 'Hana'(1) of all things! It's a wonder that it grew antlers at all!" she chuckled. Shikamaru returned her good humor with a weak smile.

"Since you're in such a hurry, I'll be off." Shikato busily brushed aside a few loose strands of hair from Shikamaru's face and straightened his shirt collar. She did not notice that her son offered little resistance to her motherly grooming, like he normally did. "Make sure to mind yourself and not fall asleep in front of anyone. I'll call you later."

Shikamaru remained rigid in the doorway as he watched his mother leave. After he was sure that she was gone, the crooked smile finally slipped and he stared glumly at the package that contained the gourmet remains of his childhood pet.

"Why this? Why _now_?" he groaned out loud to himself. Then, with some effort he mournfully trudged towards the Hyuuga Estate with the package in hand.

* * *

As one of the higher ranking Hyuuga clansman residing in the main house, Hyuuga Neji's quarters were furnished with fittings that befitted an apartment more than personal quarters inside a mansion. His living space was more than three times the size of Shikamaru's apartment, and hosted not only a spacious bathroom and living room, but also a small kitchen in its own separate room. 

And right now, he was rather grateful to have his own little kitchen that gave him access to his first try at making nikujaga stew. Neji looked at the steaming potato and steak stew and allowed a small smile of self satisfaction to form. In all honesty, it didn't look like anything any restaurant would serve, but it was the taste that counted in the end.

Neji was not used to cooking, but when he did commit to make a meal he was as meticulous with it as he was with his physical training.

'_That should be enough'_ he thought as he pulled the pot from the stove and poured the steaming contents into an elaborate blue ceramic bowl. He brought the nikujaga into the living room and placed it onto a short table made of dark wood.

The Hyuuga mansion's style was traditional, so most of the living quarters had living rooms that doubled as a bedroom at night with a plush futon rolled up and stored in a closet. Neji's quarters however, were large enough to accommodate both a large futon and a short dining table in the room, with plenty of space to spare.

The young Hyuuga unconsciously smoothed out his sleeve. Neji felt unusually nervous at the prospect of Shikamaru visiting his home. Getting himself ready had been quite an ordeal: At first he had decided to wear his best clothes, then thought against it knowing that Shikamaru would most likely dress casually. Then after a frantic search though his closet, Neji found one of his old training yukatas that were still in decent shape. It was a loose fitting grey yukata with navy blue trim; a simple design. Neji thought it suited the fall weather and his expected company.

He was aware of Shikamaru's presence behind the door before he even knocked. Neji padded over to the wooden sliding door, his bare feet making soft noises on the tatami floor mats. It was not yet cold enough to wear tabi socks. He took a deep breath before pulling aside the wooden sliding door.

"Hey" Shikamaru's face smiled up at Neji. "Am I too early?"

Neji immediately relaxed, feeling a lot less nervous upon seeing Shikamaru's smile. "I'm glad you made it."

The young Nara started after observing Neji's yukata. "Ah, I seem to be a bit underdressed..."

"Not at all, this is what I usually wear at home" he stepped aside to allow the young Nara access into his home.

Shikamaru pulled off his sandals and stepped into the room. His eyes widened at the size of Neji's living space, and then at the nikujaga sitting at the small table with a setting for two. At the sight of the food, he suddenly remembered what he held in his hand.

"I er...brought something" he lifted up the container wrapped in the kerchief for Neji to see. "Its uh, venison from my farm" he mumbled.

"Really?" Neji's brow furrowed at Shikamaru's strange behavior. "Is there something wrong with it?"

Shikamaru brushed past Neji to plop down in front of the table with the wrapped venison placed in front of him. "No, there's nothing wrong. The meat's not even stringy coming from a deer his age." The last few words sounded a little choked. Neji sat beside Shikamaru, who looked away to avoid his gaze.

"Was this stag special to you?"

"You could say that" Shikamaru nodded slightly. "Ever since I was little, I could always expect to see Hana-chan when I came home from school or a mission. The pasture was were Hana-chan and I would meet. I would stare up at the clouds while Hana-chan would graze nearby, guarding me. He was really special, I've never known another deer like him." Shikamaru sighed heavily and scratched his head. "Its stupid-I'm stupid for letting it get to me like this."

"I hardly think it 'stupid'." Neji rose to his feet and gently took the container from the table and cradled it in his arms. "Come with me" he offered, beckoning towards the door.

With a bit of hesitation, Shikamaru followed Neji towards the door leading outside. "W-what're you planning to do?"

Neji slid the door opened and paused for a moment, then turned around with a warm smile on his face. "To make funeral for Hana-chan. He was an important friend of yours, and deserves a proper burial, don't you think?"

Shikamaru smiled, both relieved and touched by Neji's suggestion. "Yeah, I would like that."

* * *

Shikamaru decided to bury Hana's remains under a cherry blossom tree in the Hyuuga family garden. The two shinobi remained quiet during the entire process, with Shikamaru lost in his memories of his lost friend. Neji had brought incense for the occasion, which were lit to close the burial process. 

"Its funny," Shikamaru said quietly "But somehow I've always expected Hana-chan to be in the fields waiting for me" he closed his eyes. "After the war, we've lost so much, and so many people. So much has changed since then." He opened his eyes to glance at Neji. "My family's farm was one of the few places in Konoha that was untouched by the war. It was a place frozen in time before anything bad happened. It was my sanctuary."

The young Nara clansman sighed. "But now that Hana's gone...I feel like I've lost the last bit of my childhood."

"We've all lost a great deal of our innocence." Neji replied quietly, thinking back to his own failure at protecting his fallen teammate Tenten. "We can't let our loss weigh us down for future happiness. I doubt our fallen friends would want us to do so. It is best to honor them by focusing on a brighter future for yourself."

"Yeah." Shikamaru leaned against the Hyuuga for support as they watched the incense smoke waft into the fading sky. "Thanks, Neji."

The Hyuuga nuzzled his companion's head. "Anytime."

* * *

Shikamaru sat on the garden bench and watched the last of the incense stick burn down to the bare wood. Neji had left to grab something from his kitchen, and had left his companion to wait behind in the garden. Over the stone walls, he could just barely see the faint glow of the sunset saturating the cloudy sky. It was pretty, as far as early autumn sunsets go. Currently, the young Nara was deep in thought at what Neji had said during Hana's funeral, and was contemplating his own future as part of the ANBU squadron. He had worked hard during the last few years to reach the ANBU ranks, and was very proud of his accomplishments. But ever since he had befriended Neji, he began to question continuing a career devoted to such highly dangerous and intense operations. Shikamaru was an easygoing person at heart, but he still felt an intense need to protect Konoha to the best of his abilities. Was ANBU really the only way for him to contribute to Konoha's protection? Might there be another brighter path for himself, and could Neji be involved in that future? 

"Here." Neji's arm sneaked around Shikamaru's shoulder to offer him a small ice cream cone.

Shikamaru jumped at the sudden interruption of his thoughts. "Ah, thanks." Had he been so preoccupied that he did not notice Neji's presence? Perhaps Neji's sneak skills were just a bit better than his own.

Neji smiled as the young Nara clansman took the proffered dessert. "You looked so peaceful watching the sky, I didn't want to disturb you too soon."

"You needn't have bothered, I was just thinking about things." Shikamaru took a tentative lick of his frozen treat, then smiled. "I haven't had green tea flavored ice cream since I was a kid. I'd forgotten how good it is."

"It's my favorite," said Neji as he took a small bite from his own cone. "I also like red azuki bean flavor as well."

"Mm. Azuki ice cream is good too."

They ate their desserts in silence for several minutes, enjoying the dwindling sunset and each other's company. Neji scooted closer to Shikamaru. The evening was getting colder.

"Its going to take at least forty minutes to heat up the nikujaga." Neji stated, breaking the silence before popping the last bit of his waffle cone into his mouth.

"Heh heh...yeah, sorry about that." Shikamaru scratched his head. "You seemed to have put a lot of effort into it."

Neji waved his hand and smiled. "Please, don't worry about it. It's just a meal."

"Alright." Shikamaru conceded. "I promise to eat it later."

They fell into silence again, with Shikamaru working on his treat while Neji picked at a loose thread in his sleeve. The young Hyuuga seemed to be working up his nerve to say something. "Since it's starting to get so late, and uh, since we haven't had our, err...meal yet, I was actually thinking–no, I was uh, wanting to ask you something."

Shikamaru looked up from his half-eaten cone and gave Neji a strange look. He had never seen Neji act nervous and fidget before (for it was a rare occurrence in itself) and couldn't help but stare when the young Hyuuga's cheeks began to turn red with embarrassment.

"Curse it all!" Neji spat when he noticed that his face was blushing. With a determined glare aimed at the grinning Nara, he managed to grind out what he wanted to say. "If you'd like, you're welcome to stay the night."

"Oh." Shikamaru replied, his eyes still wide at Neji's unusual behavior.

"Oh?" Neji began to look crestfallen at the unenthusiastic response.

"No! I mean, yes! I would love to Neji."

The young Huyuuga's brow wrinkled with worry. "I don't want you to feel pressured into doing so."

Shikamaru grinned. "You should know me well enough by now to know that I'd not one to be easily pressured. Unless of course, your bed isn't comfortable for two. Comfortable beds are a high priority for me."

"I assure you, it's very comfortable" Neji chuckled. "And with plenty of room to spare."

"In that case, I think I might stay..." Shikamaru dipped his tongue into the remains of his cone to lap up the last bit of the melting ice cream. "As long as you promise to give me more desserts later."

Neji's eye twitched at the Shikamaru's display. "Tease" he muttered under his breath.

Shikamaru's heard the remark, and shot the Hyuuga a playful grin. "That I am." Before Neji could react, he spun around on his heel to walk back towards his host's quarters.

'_Wow.'_ Neji felt goose bumps crawl up his arms as he watched Shikamaru walk away, the image of the Nara's flicking ice cream tipped tongue replayed though his head, as well as the not-so-subtle innuendo.

This was going to be an interesting night.

* * *

(1)Hana is Japanese for 'flower', and is generally a female name. 

I'm very sorry for the long delay in the update! Please be assured that I never plan to abandon this story. Things will heat up next chappie!


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